Do you trust independent mechanics more than dealerships?

May 7th, 2009, 2:30 pm · 10 Comments · posted by Matt Degen

In a survey released this week by Consumer Reports, 84 percent of car owners reported being very satisfied with maintenance performed at independent shops, compared with 77 percent at dealerships. But, of the survey among 349,000 surveyed, some car owners said they were more satisfied with the dealer service of some car brands than of others.

According to the report, the top scoring in dealership maintenance satisfaction were Lexus, Buick, and Acura, with 85, 83 and 82 percent satisfaction rates, respectively. At the other end of the spectrum, Volkswagen, Suzuki, Jeep, and Nissan owners were far less satisfied with dealer service at 67, 69, 70, and 70 percent respectively.

The report goes on to say:

Among owners whose cars needed repairs as well as maintenance, the difference in satisfaction with dealers and independent shops was even more pronounced: 75 percent were very satisfied with independents versus just 57 percent with dealerships.

“In many cases, we heard that independent shops were more thorough and consumers were more satisfied with repairs they made,” said David Champion, senior director, Consumer Reports Auto Test Center.

Full results of the survey appear in the now-available June 2009 edition of the magazine and online.

Now it’s your turn to weigh in:

Who do you trust more: independent mechanics or auto dealerships?

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Al says:

May 7, 2009 at 4:28 pm

I do most own work so I don’t trust eather one. I had good luck with a GM dealer, though, the service cost is higher. For a Tranny or Engine overhaul I would use an independent. Since most shops farm out those items anyway. The shops are installers then in that regard, though, the product needs to work properly.

Mark Uyemura says:

May 7, 2009 at 5:13 pm

Word of mouth is most important independent mechanics….Dealerships do the work correctly most of the time, but costs an arm and a leg…and I think they try to up sell you on all types of things (clean the carbon buildup? $179 please.) I think it all depends on the service manager at the dealerships. I’ve had some horrible experiences at mom and pops (botched brake jobs, forgetting to tighten a lower coolant hose, etc,) But also have had super trust worthy guys who haven’t charged me a dime for some things when they thought it was a minor fix.

BP says:

May 8, 2009 at 7:18 am

Titan Automotive in Orange is the best! I’ve owned four cars in the last 18 years or so and have used Titan’s services most of those years. When I’ve had to go somewhere else, I’ve wound up regretting it. They guarantee their work and are NOT paying me to say this!

Donald D says:

May 8, 2009 at 7:29 am

Independents by far -dealers are for Dumbfounded Warranty Work.

OCMax says:

May 8, 2009 at 7:44 am

It’s hard to trust both at times. I have had a recent experience at a Honda dealership service shop that was a nightmare. They tried to charge me double the cost of the same repair at an independent shop. From what I understand the dealerships make most of their profits off the service of a vehicle after the sale.

Marie Lucas says:

May 8, 2009 at 8:08 am

I took my Camery to a independent shop in Lake Forest Ca and was quoted 300.00ish, when work was finished I was charged $485.00 and they did nothing but the smog and charged me for many other things, funny thing is they didn’t even charge me for the smog. I’m no dummy I reported them and took a friend who is a Dodge mechanic back with me who put them in their place and they did do the work for free. I also reported them to the Buear of Automotive and got some of my money back and now they have a consumer report on them. Also check out the shop befor taking your car in, Comsumer Affairs website is very helpful. Don’t let a Mechanic make a Dummy out of you!!

Kelly says:

May 8, 2009 at 2:30 pm

I agree with the mix. The dealership service department just knows more about my car but depending on the problem, to save $$’s, I will either take it the dealership or an amazing independent guy by me.

Orange Dude says:

May 13, 2009 at 8:29 am

Theft Code Scam

After changing the battery in my 2003 Acura TL, the radio was asking for a theft code to be entered before it could resume operation. I entered the five digit code only for the radio to display ERROR. After several attempts I called South Coast Acura, Costa Mesa CA, where I purchased the vehicle. The service manager, told me that before the theft code could be entered the antennae must be disconnected from the radio and would require removing the radio from the dash. This would take about an hour and cost $95, the good news was that they could squeeze me in that afternoon. Upon voicing my displeasure he assured me that this was part of the theft code design and was typical of most import cars. Having a fair amount of mechanical ability and common sense, I knew something was not right. An Acura couldn’t be so poorly designed.

I spoke with Acura Client Services, and was told that they were aware of the problem and offered to cover the expense as a one time good will gesture.

I called Weir Canyon Acura and spoke with the service manager, he explained that he had a way of fixing the problem without removing the radio from the dash, and he usually performed the service for free to his customers. I was finally on the right track.

I called Weir Canyon Acura again to schedule the service and another fellow finally told me what I needed to know. There is a small box in the inside upper right corner of the rear window that hides the antennae’s connection. Slide the cover toward the rear of the car. Disconnect the antennae wire. Enter the theft code on the radio preset buttons. Reconnect antennae. Done!

It took me 5 minutes to fix this problem and saved me $95 and half a day at South Coast Acura.

With new cars requiring less maintenance these days, service department profits are no doubt being squeezed. Unscrupulous practices such as these will only drive the bottom line down further. I wonder, who should I buy my next Acura from?

CMinNB says:

May 14, 2009 at 12:12 pm

I dont trust anyone but Rich at Grahams 76 in Newport Hills. The Stealership charges for things not needed and cant even perform the work accurately. Irvine BMW is the worst!!!!!

Zombie says:

July 13, 2009 at 4:53 pm

Rich comes from a handful of excellent and honest mechanics that i have known over 25 years. They will not upsell you and he is completly honest and gives you the choice. I drive all the way from RSM for repair as I do not trust anyone else to work on my cars.

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